Hope for YOU!

This past year I suffered with some pretty exaggerated anxiety and depression feelings. I was on Lexapro 10mg for six months and was always right on the verge of needing to take a benzo, too. Still taking 5mg daily of Lex., to be safe. Things were not very good, but have now turned around!

Today I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER. Better than I ever expected I would become. No benzos needed. I thought I was set to be plagued with awful anxiety forever.

#1) I got into a gym. Weights and/or cardio 3-4 times a week for at least 30-45 mins. Make your body stress so it can release its natural goodness and energy.

#2) Are you aware there is A DIRECT CONNECTION between your stomach and your brain? What you put in your gut will affect your neurotransmitter functions. I began eats lots of sliced turkey, lots of blueberries, fat free/high protein yogurt.....always avoiding processed foods and trans fats.

PLEASE READ THIS FOR PROOF ON THE ABOVE: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/24/diet-mental-health_n_6566376.html

#3) Drink more water!! Did you know over 70% of people are chronically dehydrated? Water consumption allows red blood cells to flow, directly affects the mind and the way that the body releases toxins.

#4) Accept that, at moments, you are going to feel anxious and know that it is just simply ok. NOT A THING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU AND IT WILL ALWAYS PASS. Once I began to accept that I'd feel this way at times, I began to look at it differently and it began affect me less. You giving in to it is the only thing that will make it worse.

I did also back off of my medication by 5 mg. this is obviously not something that is for everyone. I did this with Dr. approval. Backing off the dose a bit took me out of the clouds, per se. My head was not as cloudy. May have been too much.

Hoping this post helps someone out there. Is such a scary thing to think that your life is going to be ,forever more, darkened by these feelings. Empower yourself to do the things that you can to be the most healthy.

Post Edited (pooldrops5) : 2/25/2015 9:00:10 PM (GMT-7)

Hi!

Thanks for this uplifting post! I´m so happy for all your achievements!

I have a question for you, did you get any withdrawal symptoms from lowering the Lex. I was also on 10 mg, cut down to 5 and was feeling awful for a whole month. that was several months ago and I´ve been wanting to start weaning again, but I´m so afraid of the difficulties that come with that decisión, so I´m always looking for succesful stories to get me inspired!

AnxyRose,

I may have had a little bit of extra anxiety with decreasing the dose, but not very bad. I had the same fear. Even asked my doctor if they thought I should decrease step-by-step. They said to you just go down to 5mg. For my own peace of mind I did take 7.5mg for one week before dropping to 5mg.

Truly, if you get into a gym and really start making your body work, a lot of anxiety will naturally dissipate and more positive energy will begin to take its place.

A lot of this is fear of slipping back into that awful panic and spaceyness. I practiced telling myself every day, "YOU ARE ALRIGHT"
"THIS IS TEMPORARY IN YOUR LIFE"

This may sound strange, but I also went on lots of dates and had quite a few encounters. I really do you think having other people want to be with me, and having them tell me positive things about my personality and Appearance also really helped my personal confidence/mentality.

This is an uplifting post. I am in a particularly severe state of anxiety/panic that I can't seem to get out of and your suggestions are not only good ones, but ones that gives me a sense of hope that this will pass.

PD,

Hmmmnnnn....I will take some exception to your last point...

We have a quite a few members who are managing their anxiety well/are in recovery, who still post regularly, and are living their lives happily...

...they simply choose to participate here as part of their ongoing journey to wellness. (present company included)

Support is an important part of a wellness plan, just as are other methods of treatment.

This place is not intended as an end all be all answer spot or crutch...and we clearly direct all members to seek the help that they need...

...but rather it is a place of understanding and support...and just about everyone can use some of that good stuff! ;)

S.C.